Developer looks to expand scope of Worcester project

Nick Kotsopolous TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Published Saturday June 15, 2013 at 6:00 am

A developer who has already won approval to convert four abandoned warehouses off Franklin Street, near Union Station, into housing is looking to dramatically increase the scope of the project. Instead of just renovating the vacant buildings, as was originally planned, the developer is now looking to raze some buildings, construct new ones and add more floors to some of the existing buildings. In addition, the developer is also looking to add a five-story parking garage.

In total, the project would have 358 dwelling units and 527 off-street parking spaces, compared to 160 housing units with parking for 178 vehicles as was previously approved

The Zoning Board of Appeals on Monday night will take up a request to amend the special permit approved for the project in April so the project can be expanded.

The seven separate properties to be redeveloped are all owned by Ding On “Tony” Kwan of Framingham under three separate limited liability corporations.

The area to be redeveloped is within walking distance of Union Station, Washington Square and the Canal District. It is also adjacent to the elevated portion of Interstate 290 and next to part of the CSX freight terminal on Franklin Street and the Franklin Street fire station.

In late April, the zoning board granted the necessary approvals to allow the conversion of a two-story brick warehouse at 284 Franklin St. into 16 housing units; a four-story brick warehouse at 25 Arctic St. into 32 units; a four-story brick warehouse at 45 Arctic St. into 48 units; and a five-story concrete warehouse at 14 Hygeia St. into 64 units.

While no on-site parking is required under the city zoning ordinance because the property is in the Blackstone Canal Parking Overlay District, the developer planned to provide 178 off-street parking spaces for the development.

But the developer is now proposing the following changes to the overall plan

•Raze the existing two-story warehouse at 284 Franklin St. and construct a five-story building with 40 residential units

•Add one floor onto the existing four-story warehouse at 25 Arctic St. to create a total of 40 residential units for that building.

•Construct a new six-story building at 26 Arctic St. with 75 housing units on the upper five floors and parking for 40 vehicles on the first floor

•Demolish an existing one-story block garage at 38 Arctic St. and construct a six-story building with 75 residential units on the upper five floors and parking for 47 vehicles on the first floor

•Provide 48 residential units in an existing four-story building at 45 Arctic St

•Add two floors to an existing three-story building at 14 Hygeia St. to provide for 80 residential units in the building

•Raze an existing two-story building at Franklin, Hygeia and Arctic streets and construct a five-story parking garage with 440 parking spaces

•In addition to an amendment to the special permit previously approved the project, the developer is seeking seven variances to zoning dimensional requirements

Plans to redevelop this property go back to 2007. Those original plans called for 36 residential units, along with a three-story, 97-space parking garage, which was to include retail-commercial space.

But with the expansion of commuter rail service to nearby Union Station, the scope of the project has grown dramatically.